No Decision Made on BDUSD Referendum
1/19/10 - The Beaver Dam School Board spent nearly 3-spirited hours debating whether or not to put a referendum on April's ballot that, if passed, would allow the district to borrow 15-million-dollars to pay for deferred maintenance at a number of buildings. No decision was made as the board was split on how to proceed, with some expressing concerns over the cost and the small window of time to inform the public, while others worried what impact not doing the maintenance would have on the district buildings. At the meeting, the board was given a list of projects, ranked in order of need. The top of the list deals with boiler and roof replacements as well as improvements to the HVAC. Superintendent Don Childs says putting the referendum on April's ballot would allow the district to apply for some interest free loans. As for the cost to the tax payer, without a referendum the district will retire its remaining debt next spring. Administrators say that would lower resident's tax rates by an estimated $1.15 per $1,000 of assessed value. However, with a referendum there would be no increase to a resident's tax bill outside of the normal year to year change. No decisions were made last night and board members are expected to have further discussions at their February 1st meeting.
Beaver Dam Looks To The Future, Recognizes Past
1/19/10 - MSA Professional Services will perform consulting work on the Beaver Dam Highway 33 reconstruction project, following council action last night. The state is paying 80% for most of the project, including a one block stretch of North Center Street between Front and Maple, plus Front Street from Center to Spring Street and Park Avenue from University Avenue to Monroe Street. In addition, the city will pay 100% of the costs to reconstruct the 200 block of Front Street, which is not considered a state route. MSA submitted a total bid of just over $100,000, which roughly $27,000 higher than the low bid of Vierbicher Associates. However, in the last week, it was learned that the low bidder did not include all of the required projects in their proposal. The vote was unanimous. The Highway 33 reconstruction project is slated for 2013. Pictured Left to Right: Alderpersons Robert Ballweg, Dona Maly and Don Neuert select one of several plaques provided to them last night. They contain a chunk of a razed downtown building and a key and were made by Senior Center volunteers.
Beaver Dam is moving up in the world. Before last night, the city on the state’s 15th largest lake was considered a fourth-class city, a designation based primarily on population. According to the 2000 census, Beaver Dam’s population is estimated at 15,500. With the proclaimation by the mayor, the city is now a third-class city. That means the municipality will be able to extend the scope of its annexation authority from one and-a-half miles beyond the city limits to three miles. The change will also require the city add two more members to its Library Board. In addition, mayoral candidates will be required to collect four times as many signatures when circulating nomination papers. In a third class city, 200 to 400 names are needed. There will be no change for those seeking to run for alderperson. The change was suggested as part of the Smart Growth Comprehensive Plan. While it was originally slated for the December meeting, the proclaimation was postponed to the January meeting, so as not to affect the spring 2010 election.
The Beaver Dam Common Council last night recognzied four city employees for their years of service to the city. Firefighters Dan Kenevan and Vic Herbst were presented with plaques acknowledging their combined 80 years of service to the department. Account clerk’s Kristine Erdmann (pictured left with Mayor Tom Kennedy) and Susan Rasske were also recognized. Rasske for her nearly two decades of service while Erdmann has been with the city for over three decades.
Columbus Police Chief Awaits Council Approval
1/19/10 - The Columbus Police and Fire Commision has finished the psychological screening of Daniel Meister -- the top candidate to be the city's next police chief. Meister now awaits council approval. They are expected to discuss a salary, benefits, and start date in the near future. Meanwhile, Acting Police Chief Dennis Weiner reported a recent deluge of applications for the only vacant sworn officer position. The police department will be moving into their new digs at the Columbus Public Safety Building later this month. That is likely to happen before the new chief assumes office.
Gas Leak in BD Forces Some to Evacuate
1/19/10 - Five houses were evacuated in Beaver Dam after construction crews hit a gas line near the hospital yesterday morning. It happened around 9:40am on Warren Street. The hospital was not affected though access to the medical offices along Warren Street was hampered. Alliant Energy responded right away but the utility was not immediately able to shut off the leak. The scene was cleared at 12:40pm and residents were allowed to return to their homes.
Oconomowoc Murder Suspect in Court Today
1/19/10 - A murder suspect who was recaptured after escaping last week is scheduled to appear in Waukesha County Circuit Court today. 26-year-old Justin Welch is charged in the slaying of Kimberly Smith of Oconomowoc last October. Authorities said another man who was involved in a custody dispute with Smith hired Welch to kill her. Welch was arrested in San Diego in mid-November. And he was being transported back to Wisconsin last week when he allegedly stabbed a guard and stole the transport van at a rest stop in Arkansas. Welch was re-captured just over a day later when a trucker gave Welch a ride, and sneaked a call to police after seeing a gun in the suspect's bag. Officers captured him a short time later.
Nearly All Red Arrow Brigade Soldiers are Back in WI
1/19/10 - Almost all of the 32-hundred Wisconsin soldiers who went to Iraq eight months ago are now home. Just over 280 members of the National Guard's Red Arrow Brigade were on the last major flight back. They arrived about mid-day yesterday at Volk Field in Juneau County to cheers, hugs, and kisses from families-and-friends. About 20 members are still in Iraq to handle some final administrative details. They're due back later in the week. The tour lasted 11 months, which included training time in Texas. It was the largest deployment of Wisconsin National Guard troops since the 1940's. The first brigade members came back on January fifth. But most returned on 11 flights during the last week-and-a-half.
Earthquake Disrupts Adoption Proceedings
1/19/10 - Some Wisconsin couples have had their efforts to adopt kids from Haiti delayed because of last week's earthquake. U-S House Democrat Steve Kagen of Appleton says he's had four families ask him for help. Mike and Kat Meissner of Coleman say they've working for three years to adopt a Haitian youngster. And until the earthquake happened, they were hoping to complete the paperwork within 90 days. Kat Meissner said it's been hard to find the 10-year-old girl's birth certificate and other necessary documents. Kagen says the earthquake has disrupted a variety of immigration paperwork. And he has asked Secretary-of-State Hillary Clinton and Homeland Security chief Janet Napolitano to help speed things up. Kagen asked both to quote, "place a high priority on evacuating the adoptees." Kat Meissner said she didn't learn until Thursday that the girl she wants to adopt, Mary Lynn, is all right. And she still has not heard from the Haitian lawyer who's helping the Meissners with their case. The girl was living in an orphanage in Carrefour Haiti, close to the earthquake's epicenter.
Teens Arrested for Alleged Bomb Threats
1/19/10 - Two boys in their mid-teens have been arrested for making a series of weekend bomb threats at the hospital in Stoughton. Eighteen patients were temporarily moved to other facilities as a result of the threats Saturday night and Sunday. No bombs were found, but police said they had to take the threats seriously because the callers were specific in what they said. The boys are from the Dane County town of Dunn, south of Madison. Stoughton Police sergeant Brian Gowan called the bomb threats a prank that got way out of hand - and both boys face serious charges. The two were taken to a juvenile court reception facility at the City-County Building in Madison.
Waupun to Move Forward with Long-Range Planning
1/19/10 - In the next few months the Waupun School District will begin long-range planning to determine the direction it will go in the future. Superintendent Randy Refsland says in that time they will be asking people to participate in small focus groups so they can obtain as much information as possible about the different communities that make up the district. He says the goal is to build a five year long-range plan that can be revised on a yearly basis. Refsland says the district will be looking for an open discussion about its direction and they are not looking to bring up past issues. The district hopes to have the plan in place by the middle of the summer.
Facebook for Veterans?
1/19/10 - You might call it a Facebook for veterans. Milwaukee Vietnam vet Bob Curry has launched DryHootch-Dot-Org, a place where veterans can share their experiences. Curry hopes they'll chat openly about problems they're facing - like alcoholism and post-traumatic stress disorder - which veterans often cover up when they get home. For the Red Arrow Brigade soldiers coming home from Iraq, Curry says he knows what it's like to serve in an increasingly-unpopular war. He said many veterans suffered silently when they got the cold shoulder upon returning from Vietnam - and he vows that another generation of veterans will not feel abandoned. DryHootch-Dot-Org has on-line forms, chat rooms, listings of events, and more. Curry says the site also plans to open a coffee shop in Milwaukee this spring, where veterans who've met on-line can see each other in person.
1/19/10 - The Beaver Dam School Board spent nearly 3-spirited hours debating whether or not to put a referendum on April's ballot that, if passed, would allow the district to borrow 15-million-dollars to pay for deferred maintenance at a number of buildings. No decision was made as the board was split on how to proceed, with some expressing concerns over the cost and the small window of time to inform the public, while others worried what impact not doing the maintenance would have on the district buildings. At the meeting, the board was given a list of projects, ranked in order of need. The top of the list deals with boiler and roof replacements as well as improvements to the HVAC. Superintendent Don Childs says putting the referendum on April's ballot would allow the district to apply for some interest free loans. As for the cost to the tax payer, without a referendum the district will retire its remaining debt next spring. Administrators say that would lower resident's tax rates by an estimated $1.15 per $1,000 of assessed value. However, with a referendum there would be no increase to a resident's tax bill outside of the normal year to year change. No decisions were made last night and board members are expected to have further discussions at their February 1st meeting.
Beaver Dam Looks To The Future, Recognizes Past
1/19/10 - MSA Professional Services will perform consulting work on the Beaver Dam Highway 33 reconstruction project, following council action last night. The state is paying 80% for most of the project, including a one block stretch of North Center Street between Front and Maple, plus Front Street from Center to Spring Street and Park Avenue from University Avenue to Monroe Street. In addition, the city will pay 100% of the costs to reconstruct the 200 block of Front Street, which is not considered a state route. MSA submitted a total bid of just over $100,000, which roughly $27,000 higher than the low bid of Vierbicher Associates. However, in the last week, it was learned that the low bidder did not include all of the required projects in their proposal. The vote was unanimous. The Highway 33 reconstruction project is slated for 2013. Pictured Left to Right: Alderpersons Robert Ballweg, Dona Maly and Don Neuert select one of several plaques provided to them last night. They contain a chunk of a razed downtown building and a key and were made by Senior Center volunteers.
Beaver Dam is moving up in the world. Before last night, the city on the state’s 15th largest lake was considered a fourth-class city, a designation based primarily on population. According to the 2000 census, Beaver Dam’s population is estimated at 15,500. With the proclaimation by the mayor, the city is now a third-class city. That means the municipality will be able to extend the scope of its annexation authority from one and-a-half miles beyond the city limits to three miles. The change will also require the city add two more members to its Library Board. In addition, mayoral candidates will be required to collect four times as many signatures when circulating nomination papers. In a third class city, 200 to 400 names are needed. There will be no change for those seeking to run for alderperson. The change was suggested as part of the Smart Growth Comprehensive Plan. While it was originally slated for the December meeting, the proclaimation was postponed to the January meeting, so as not to affect the spring 2010 election.
The Beaver Dam Common Council last night recognzied four city employees for their years of service to the city. Firefighters Dan Kenevan and Vic Herbst were presented with plaques acknowledging their combined 80 years of service to the department. Account clerk’s Kristine Erdmann (pictured left with Mayor Tom Kennedy) and Susan Rasske were also recognized. Rasske for her nearly two decades of service while Erdmann has been with the city for over three decades.
Columbus Police Chief Awaits Council Approval
1/19/10 - The Columbus Police and Fire Commision has finished the psychological screening of Daniel Meister -- the top candidate to be the city's next police chief. Meister now awaits council approval. They are expected to discuss a salary, benefits, and start date in the near future. Meanwhile, Acting Police Chief Dennis Weiner reported a recent deluge of applications for the only vacant sworn officer position. The police department will be moving into their new digs at the Columbus Public Safety Building later this month. That is likely to happen before the new chief assumes office.
Gas Leak in BD Forces Some to Evacuate
1/19/10 - Five houses were evacuated in Beaver Dam after construction crews hit a gas line near the hospital yesterday morning. It happened around 9:40am on Warren Street. The hospital was not affected though access to the medical offices along Warren Street was hampered. Alliant Energy responded right away but the utility was not immediately able to shut off the leak. The scene was cleared at 12:40pm and residents were allowed to return to their homes.
Oconomowoc Murder Suspect in Court Today
1/19/10 - A murder suspect who was recaptured after escaping last week is scheduled to appear in Waukesha County Circuit Court today. 26-year-old Justin Welch is charged in the slaying of Kimberly Smith of Oconomowoc last October. Authorities said another man who was involved in a custody dispute with Smith hired Welch to kill her. Welch was arrested in San Diego in mid-November. And he was being transported back to Wisconsin last week when he allegedly stabbed a guard and stole the transport van at a rest stop in Arkansas. Welch was re-captured just over a day later when a trucker gave Welch a ride, and sneaked a call to police after seeing a gun in the suspect's bag. Officers captured him a short time later.
Nearly All Red Arrow Brigade Soldiers are Back in WI
1/19/10 - Almost all of the 32-hundred Wisconsin soldiers who went to Iraq eight months ago are now home. Just over 280 members of the National Guard's Red Arrow Brigade were on the last major flight back. They arrived about mid-day yesterday at Volk Field in Juneau County to cheers, hugs, and kisses from families-and-friends. About 20 members are still in Iraq to handle some final administrative details. They're due back later in the week. The tour lasted 11 months, which included training time in Texas. It was the largest deployment of Wisconsin National Guard troops since the 1940's. The first brigade members came back on January fifth. But most returned on 11 flights during the last week-and-a-half.
Earthquake Disrupts Adoption Proceedings
1/19/10 - Some Wisconsin couples have had their efforts to adopt kids from Haiti delayed because of last week's earthquake. U-S House Democrat Steve Kagen of Appleton says he's had four families ask him for help. Mike and Kat Meissner of Coleman say they've working for three years to adopt a Haitian youngster. And until the earthquake happened, they were hoping to complete the paperwork within 90 days. Kat Meissner said it's been hard to find the 10-year-old girl's birth certificate and other necessary documents. Kagen says the earthquake has disrupted a variety of immigration paperwork. And he has asked Secretary-of-State Hillary Clinton and Homeland Security chief Janet Napolitano to help speed things up. Kagen asked both to quote, "place a high priority on evacuating the adoptees." Kat Meissner said she didn't learn until Thursday that the girl she wants to adopt, Mary Lynn, is all right. And she still has not heard from the Haitian lawyer who's helping the Meissners with their case. The girl was living in an orphanage in Carrefour Haiti, close to the earthquake's epicenter.
Teens Arrested for Alleged Bomb Threats
1/19/10 - Two boys in their mid-teens have been arrested for making a series of weekend bomb threats at the hospital in Stoughton. Eighteen patients were temporarily moved to other facilities as a result of the threats Saturday night and Sunday. No bombs were found, but police said they had to take the threats seriously because the callers were specific in what they said. The boys are from the Dane County town of Dunn, south of Madison. Stoughton Police sergeant Brian Gowan called the bomb threats a prank that got way out of hand - and both boys face serious charges. The two were taken to a juvenile court reception facility at the City-County Building in Madison.
Waupun to Move Forward with Long-Range Planning
1/19/10 - In the next few months the Waupun School District will begin long-range planning to determine the direction it will go in the future. Superintendent Randy Refsland says in that time they will be asking people to participate in small focus groups so they can obtain as much information as possible about the different communities that make up the district. He says the goal is to build a five year long-range plan that can be revised on a yearly basis. Refsland says the district will be looking for an open discussion about its direction and they are not looking to bring up past issues. The district hopes to have the plan in place by the middle of the summer.
Facebook for Veterans?
1/19/10 - You might call it a Facebook for veterans. Milwaukee Vietnam vet Bob Curry has launched DryHootch-Dot-Org, a place where veterans can share their experiences. Curry hopes they'll chat openly about problems they're facing - like alcoholism and post-traumatic stress disorder - which veterans often cover up when they get home. For the Red Arrow Brigade soldiers coming home from Iraq, Curry says he knows what it's like to serve in an increasingly-unpopular war. He said many veterans suffered silently when they got the cold shoulder upon returning from Vietnam - and he vows that another generation of veterans will not feel abandoned. DryHootch-Dot-Org has on-line forms, chat rooms, listings of events, and more. Curry says the site also plans to open a coffee shop in Milwaukee this spring, where veterans who've met on-line can see each other in person.
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